NORWAY – Saturday’s summer ski race at Kirkebyfjellet in Meraaker (Troendelag) was cancelled. The second event in the 2010 Tour de Troendelag survived both legal land use issues and a fight over potential interference with reindeer migration patterns and the native Sami population, but on race day, inclement weather and high winds sidelined the skiers.
“It was unfortunate both for the racers and the spectators. But given the weather conditions, we determined that it would be irresponsible to run the race as planned,” race organizer Hans Joergen Renaa said to the Norwegian national television station NRK. “But we also think that neither racers nor spectators would have enjoyed the event much today,” he added.
The cancellation of Saturday’s race cuts the 2010 Tour de Troendelag down to two roller ski events. The final race was the 15K roller ski race Saturday afternoon. After Friday’s roller ski sprint in Stjoerdal, Petter Northug Jr. was ahead going into the distance roller ski race. Northug never let up, and won the 15K roller ski race with a solid margin, clocking in at 28:55.0. Less than a second separated second through sixth place. Alexander Legkov (RUS) was second in 29:44.2, while Hans Petter Lykkja (NOR/Team Troendelag) was third, only .2 seconds behind Legkov. Anders Soedergren (SWE) was fourth (29:44.6), Niklas Dyrhaug (NOR/Team Troendelag) was fifth (29:44.8) and Daniel M. Helgeland (NOR/Team Troendelag) was sixth (29:45.0).
From www.nrk.no
Inge Scheve
Inge is FasterSkier's international reporter, born and bred in Norway. A cross-country ski racer and mountain runner, she also dabbles on two wheels in the offseason. If it's steep and long, she loves it. Follow her on Twitter: @IngeScheve.
